Joanna Kitts serves as Director of Grants and Evaluation for Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. She leads the Grants and Evaluation Team, securing funding, managing grants and contracts, advancing program development, and measuring the effectiveness and impact of LSS-SW’s work.

Joanna joined LSS-SW in 2016 as Resource Development Associate and was promoted to Grants and Evaluation Manager in 2019 and Director in 2023. Over nearly a decade, she has built LSS-SW’s capacity to cultivate relationships with foundation and corporate partners, strengthen programs, and use data to improve outcomes for individuals and families across Arizona.

Joanna holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Siena College. From her early career with international humanitarian organizations to her work today, Joanna has dedicated herself to helping vulnerable families find safety, stability, and hope for the future.